Most folks don't give a rat's derriere (pun intended) about the performance of their mouse. Gamers, on the other hand, don't have a choice but to make it a priority. Because it can literally mean the difference between a victory dance and...well...being destroyed by your opponent.

If you're still using a cheap mouse that doesn't conform to your hand or causes cramps, your mouse may very well be ergonomically-challenged. If your mouse doesn't respond lightening fast to subtle movements and scrolling, the issue is lag or poor performance.

And some of the newer models can not only solve these issues but even save your hand from gaming-related injury down the road.

Before we get to the list, a few tips from Cornell University on avoiding a mouse-related musculoskeletal injury.

Don't throttle your mouse. Hold it gently and move it across a mousing surface.

Mouse from your elbow; don't flick the mouse with your wrist.

Don't use a wrist rest. Studies show they can double the pressure inside the carpal tunnel.

Avoid restricting circulation. Any pressure to the wrist can restrict circulation and cause injury in the long run.

The Razer Naga mouse is specially designed for Action-RPG games with 6 side buttons. The buttons are high performance and can do up to 250 clicks per minute. For the purists this mouse is wired with a 7ft lightweight, braided fiber cable with a gold plated USB connector.

Corsair's M65 gaming mouse is not only slick looking but it also packs a punch. The M65’s 8200 DPI sensor gives you high accuracy mouse control for playing any demanding game. You won't have to worry about adjusting the settings every time you plug it in with its onboard profile storage. You can also customize the weight thanks to its three tuning zones. The response time is also selectable between 1000Hz, 500Hz and 125Hz. My favorite color for this mouse is definitely the gunmetal black.

The Logitech G502 is a tunable mouse that can be adjusted for the best tracking on any specific mouse pad surface. You can also adjust the balance and weight of this mouse for a personalized feel. You can quickly switch through 5 DPI settings (200-12,000).

This mouse has lights on the wheel and a logo that make it look pretty cool at night and you can turn them all off as well of course.

The SteelSeries Sensei Laser Gaming Mouse has a braided nylon cord that will keep it from getting tangled. You can also define the sensitivity of the mouse to your style so you get the performance that you need.

Katie’s Cleveland proud; but she’s also lived in Australia, Switzerland and now stays in South Africa. That’s a roundabout way of saying she can’t sit still; she’s always moving, always busy.

She has a BA in International Relations from Kent State University and work towards a Masters in Human Rights. She speaks French, is learning German and used to dream in Spanish. For years, Katie worked as a producer on fashion and advertising shoots before she realized her passion was the written word.

Katie’s far more interested in guy’s gear than women’s, except she has a wardrobe brimming with little black dresses. She drinks her beer out of the bottle and is raising her two boys to be better men.

It’s what you didn’t know you were missing

We spend thousands of hours researching and testing products to create the most authoritative product ranking on the web. Over 5 million users and counting have trusted our rankings and product reviews.